


Now or Never

by dojaefairy



Category: NU'EST, Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Friendship, M/M, One-Sided Attraction, Romance, re-uploaded fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 14:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18918589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dojaefairy/pseuds/dojaefairy
Summary: Minhyun and Seongwoo are both in love with Jisung, but only one will see his feelings reciprocated.





	Now or Never

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt by @siontea, reuploaded fic that I thought I had lost but found again lol.

Jisung knows his heart. He knows how to identify a real crush from a mere, short-timed attraction, meaning he immediately understands from the moment he meets Minhyun that this is the real thing. It’s happening and it’s not a drill, his heart is shaking at the thought of the other and his mind is filled with thoughts that revolve about him.

It’s been a long time since he dated anyone. His previous relationships always ended on a nice note, though, whether ex-boyfriends or ex-girlfriends, and he likes to think that his nice temper probably helped. He’s been craving affection, not the kind that his best friend can offer him, but rather the one you can only find in a romantic partner.

He isn’t too sure if Minhyun feels the same at first. But as their relationship grows closer, he catches the younger smiling a little too brightly, and his eyes lingering a little too long on his body for it to be truly innocent. He sees how Minhyun makes times in his schedule so that they can meet more easily, and how eager he is whenever Jisung offers going out together. He notices Minhyun’s soft tone, his pink cheeks, how their hands seem to fit within each other so nicely, and how his hugs leave Minhyun flustered.

Minhyun has never been in love. He doesn’t think so, at least. He has memories of vague crushes on boys, and vaguely remembers kissing Minki and Jonghyun just to test how kissing felt back when they were teenagers. Their inexperience probably didn’t help, but teenage Minhyun had decided that kissing wasn’t that extraordinary. Minki and Jonghyun seemed to think otherwise, seeing as they kept doing it for a while before giving in and dating each other.

So he’s not too sure about Jisung when they meet and his heart does a weird thing in his chest. He’s curious, and soon finds out that he’s feeling a real attraction towards him. That would explain why he feels shy around Jisung, why his fingers burn when they touch him, why his cheeks seem to be in a permanent state of heating and why his chest feels tight. He didn’t believe that the expression “butterflies in the stomach” made that much sense until he experienced it first-hand.

A few months into their flirting phase, they’re at a point where they cuddle in movie theaters, Minhyun’s face buried into Jisung’s neck while he circles his waist, and Jisung resting his head on top of his with an arm around his shoulders. Minhyun learnt to mute the movies, so he could focus on inhaling Jisung’s cologne and absorb his warmth as they cuddle closer and closer.

* * *

“You know Minhyun, I’m in love with Jisung.”

Minhyun almost chokes at Seongwoo’s words, but the latter doesn’t notice. His eyes sparkle at the mere mention of the older, and he lets out a happy sigh. Minhyun doesn’t say anything yet, but he can still feel on his lips the sensation of the scorching kiss Jisung and him shared earlier after their weekly movie date.

“Is that so?”

Minhyun’s heart breaks for Seongwoo when he nods. He shuts his mouth, and guilt makes his stomach ache.

* * *

Seongwoo isn’t too sure when he fell in love with Jisung, he can’t pinpoint a specific moment. It just happened naturally. Jisung is one of the nicest people he’s ever met, and he’s also, in Seongwoo’s eyes, the most beautiful man he knows. It’s really cute when Jisung ducks his head shyly when getting complimented, and that only makes Seongwoo compliment him more. He loves telling Jisung how kind, handsome, cute, sweet, amazing he is, he loves hugging him, he loves when Jisung sighs and kisses his cheek in defeat.

He’s not quite sure how to break it to Jisung that he’s fallen head over heels for him, a few years in their friendship. Ever since he’s realized he likes him a lot more, as in, a boyfriend way, all he’s been thinking about is confessing. He’d love being able to date Jisung for real, to cuddle and love him like he deserves. He wants Jisung to kiss him and whisper words of love only meant for him.

As it turns out, though, he’s not the one at the receiving end of Jisung’s love, he learns in the most hurtful way. He’s merely come to Jisung and Daniel’s shared apartment to pay them a surprise visit, and seeing as the door is unlocked, he comes in discreetly. However, he’s met with the most unexpected sight, that is to say Jisung on Minhyun’s lap. It is worth pointing out that Minhyun is shirtless, that his hands are going under Jisung’s shirt probably to undress him as well as they keep sharing passionate kisses.

Jisung tilts his head as his hands press against Minhyun’s bare chest, and Seongwoo hears his heart breaking as Minhyun moans. He feels his knees giving out as he slides against the wall, tears running down his face in silent sobs, and he almost lets out a pained wail when he hears Jisung, loud and clear, tell Minhyun the three little words he’s been dying to hear over the past months, in the most loving tone there is.

He can’t let them know he’s here and they’re far too gone into each other to notice anything anyway, so he makes his way out of the apartment without a sound. He goes down a first flight of stairs, but eventually sits down as he starts crying his heart out. It hurts so badly he can’t think of anything. He doesn’t hear Daniel going up the stairs and almost running into him, nor does he stop crying when he hears his panicked voice asking him if he’s fine. He’s not fine, he’ll never be fine, he wants to say, but instead he buries his face into Daniel’s shoulder and cries harder as his younger friend hugs him tightly.

“Why does it have to be Minhyun?” Seongwoo asks miserably once Daniel has given him tissues to clean his face, “why not me?”

Daniel doesn’t even have the heart to smile, and he looks down on his lap. “I’m sorry. I… I never thought you liked Jisung.”

“You don’t have to be sorry, Daniel, neither of them told me so I’m just… not important enough to them to know, I guess.”

Daniel nudges his knee with his, and shakes his head.

“That’s not it. I mean, I don’t know about Minhyun, but Jisung… I’m so sorry, I feel awful saying this to you right now but he’s liked Minhyun ever since they first met. He’s been overjoyed since they started dating so he probably forgot to mention it to you.”

Seongwoo hides his face in his hands as another sob racks his body, and Daniel hugs him tighter.

* * *

Jisung and Minhyun make something resembling an official announcement regarding their relationship, and Seongwoo wipes his tears when he sees the “in a relationship with” bond appear between their Facebook profiles. He almost unfollows their Instagram accounts as well because he does not need to see Jisung post their couples pictures in which they’re both smiling at the camera while cuddling. He also hates how good they look together, and especially can’t stand how Jisung is always rambling in the descriptions of blurry Minhyun shots (in which he still looks gorgeous) about how beautiful Minhyun is. Fine, Seongwoo gets it, he doesn’t have Minhyun’s prince aura, his sweet voice, his cute laughter, his endearing eyesmile, his nice hair – he’s just not Minhyun. He’ll never be.

There’s a long period of hesitation, but eventually Seongwoo decides he wants Jisung to know of his feelings. It won’t change a thing to the current situation, but he hopes it’ll help him move on. Moreover, he told Minhyun, meaning that the latter must be burdened with that knowledge as well. Might as well be honest.

He manages to meet Jisung face to face, while they’re doing homework together at a café. Minhyun is in class, and will probably join them later, so Seongwoo has to hurry. Jisung is looking amazing as usual, and Seongwoo would even go as far as to argue that he’s acing a perfect boyfriend look. They’re taking a break and sipping on coffee when Seongwoo finally brings up the dreaded conversation.

“Jisung?”

“Hm?”

“I’m in love with you.”

Jisung almost chokes on his coffee. He sets it down on the table so as to not spill it, and sends an incredulous look to Seongwoo, who doesn’t dare look up.

“I beg your pardon?”

“I’ve been in love with you for months, maybe even almost a year or two.”

Seongwoo takes a deep breath, and his eyes meet Jisung’s. The latter looks really sad, and Seongwoo knows why. He was never thought of as a potential boyfriend, he knows that much.

“I’m really sorry Seongwoo, I never thought…” Jisung is at a loss, and Seongwoo tries to save them both the embarrassment of the implications of those words.

“It’s fine, Daniel told me how you fell in love with Minhyun and… and how long you’ve had those feelings. I just wanted to tell you so I can move on.” Hopefully remains unsaid. Right now, his heart won’t move on, but who knows. (He doesn’t).

Jisung takes another sip of his coffee, but his mood obviously went down. “Does Minhyun know?” he asks after a few seconds of heavy silence. Seongwoo nods, Jisung sighs.

Right on cue, Minhyun enters the café and his smile falters when he sees Seongwoo sitting across Jisung. However, he obviously tries his best to act at least polite before sitting next to Jisung. He pecks Jisung’s cheek, and Jisung hugs him briefly. As he takes off his coat, Minhyun notices how Seongwoo and Jisung feel uncomfortable, and he is about to ask what happened when Seongwoo opens his mouth.

“I told Jisung.”

Minhyun’s expression turns blank at that, and he visibly pales as he’s taking in the information. He immediately knows what Seongwoo is referring to, and his stomach curls onto itself in anxiety. He’s not afraid of Jisung leaving him for Seongwoo – he knows there is absolutely no way that will ever happen. No, what he is afraid of is Jisung’s reaction to learning that Minhyun has known about Seongwoo’s feelings for quite some time by now. He really doesn’t know what to expect. It wasn’t his secret to tell, and on top of that Jisung told him he fell for him the moment they met, so he knows Seongwoo was never included into the equation. But he’s afraid and his heart is pounding loudly.

However, Jisung suddenly covers his thigh with his hand, and squeezes it. Minhyun looks up, throat too dry to talk, and Jisung smiles gently at him.

“Breathe,” he tells him, and Minhyun does that, slowly.

Once he’s sure Minhyun is not about to have a panic attack, Jisung faces Seongwoo again.

“Thank you for telling me about your feelings. That’ll change nothing about our friendship, but if you need time to take care of yourself, I’ll give you some space.”

Seongwoo nods nervously. Jisung smiles at him, and Seongwoo whispers that he’ll get going now. Jisung wishes him to get back home safely, and Seongwoo leaves quickly. That leaves only Jisung and Minhyun.

“Minhyunnie, I love you more than anything,” Jisung whispers in his boyfriend’s ear, almost kissing him. “Please don’t beat yourself up because of things you have no control over, okay?” he adds, this time taking Minhyun’s hands in his own and squeezing them.

“I couldn’t tell you,” Minhyun says, his voice shaking. “I knew but I couldn’t tell you-”

“Baby it’s fine-” Jisung tries to appease him.

“No it’s not,” Minhyun argues, and when he shuts his eyes close there’s a tear that rolls down on his cheek. His next words come out with a sob. “It’s not fine because when he told me we were already together and I didn’t have the guts to tell him about us and-” He’s unable to finish his sentences as more tears come and he hides his face in his hands, weeping. “I’m such a failure,” he sobs, and Jisung feels his heart shatter at that sight and at those words.

“Minhyun baby- please listen to me. Can you do that?” Jisung asks, both hands massaging Minhyun’s thighs. Minhyun sniffs loudly, and gets tissues to clean his face. Once he’s done, Jisung leans into him and hugs his shoulders, tightly. Minhyun shivers when he literally feels Jisung’s lips articulating “I love you so much” against his ear.

“Minhyunnie, you showing regret towards your actions shows how much you care about Seongwoo and me, so that’s a positive point.” Jisung finally starts, eyes locked with Minhyun’s. “You can’t help Seongwoo’s feelings, nor mine, nor yours. That’s just how it happened. It’s okay, that’s life, and we’ll get over everything, I promise.”

There’s something so mature about Jisung’s words that makes Minhyun tear up again, and the elder notices as he wipes his eyes, gently, before stroking one cheek.

“It’s okay,” Jisung reassures him again, smiling, and Minhyun believes him.

* * *

It takes time before Seongwoo can go back to being friends with both Minhyun and Jisung. By the time he does, they’re even more disgustingly in love than before, having worked up all kinds of trouble and obstacles to their relationship.

But Seongwoo knows he’s fine the day he gets invited to Jisung and Daniel’s apartment, as on that day, he and Daniel make fun of the couple together. Seongwoo is more than thankful for Daniel’s precious friendship and… possibly meddling capacities?

That day, a boy named Jaehwan – a common friend to everyone except Seongwoo – also got invited, and if Seongwoo interprets Daniel’s winks correctly, then maybe he and Jaehwan could share more in the future than he first thought. Not that he would mind, Seongwoo thinks to himself, and a grin brightens his face as Jaehwan leans a little more into him after telling him how pretty he thinks he is.


End file.
